Around the next bend
by Deikage
Summary: Cole was pushing through her life, tripping and stumbling and never seeming to find her feet, but things only seemed to get worse when the truth about Vampires in Mystic Falls came out, and now she's been drawn in with her friends into a life of fear and now knowing what's around the next bend and each day seems to bring something worse into her life. Klaus/OC
1. Chapter 1 - New Year, new you

Chapter 1 – New Year, new you

Cole told herself that it was going to be different this year, that she was going to stop skipping class, that she was going to stop all of the bad habits she had gotten into over the past few years. She was adamant that this was going to be her year no matter how hard, she was going to have to push that, and it included stopping smoking, stopping the drugs and making some friends that didn't spend all of their time hiding away from authorities getting as high as a kite 24/7, but she also knew it wasn't going to be easy. At one point she'd tried convincing her friend Jeremy to join her on her bid for a clean streak, but he didn't seem as set on it as her, in a way he still needed the drugs, they helped sometimes, that's what all of them thought, but they also caused problems that weren't so easily wiped away. Bad grades being the main sign that her mind had been far away from the work that she should have been concentrating on.

Giving her reflection one last look over she had decided that this was probably the best she was going to look for the first day back from summer, her eyes however still looked dark, a tell-tale sign that she hadn't been sleeping well over the past few months. Still she'd lined them, tied her red hair back, and made as much of an effort as she could muster before making the decent down the stairs to where her parents were—well, her foster parents anyway.

"Coffee?" the woman asked holding up the coffee pot to reveal the freshly brewed drink.

"You know what…not today, maybe orange juice though?" Cole suggested which was greeted with a warm smile. Sophie and Alan were nice people, and they had never tried to force on her to call them mom and dad, it was something she had appreciated over the years of living with them and they never forced her to speak about her real parents, or what she remembered of being with them.

"Excited? Nervous?" Sophie questioned leaning against the kitchen counter looking into Cole's eyes closely.

"Bit of both…but I've decided this is gonna be my year, no more miserable loner kid, no more getting in trouble with my teachers…and actually reaching out to people, maybe join a club or two." 

It earned a smile from Sophie to hear that she was going to try, she didn't really expect a miracle, but as long as Cole tried to keep this up she was sure it was going to go much better for her. Her and her husband had done their best to be there for her when she struggled, and they knew that she would knowing the circumstances behind her real parents. Still, Cole went ahead and finished her toast, grabbing an apple to shove into her bag before giving Sophie a kiss on the cheek.

"Have a good day~" Sophie called out after her before the door closed and Cole finally set out for the first day back at school.

Her journey was filled with other groups of students, friends chatting to one another about their summer, boyfriends and all that fun stuff that Cole had stayed away from, it was just something that didn't interest her as much as people had insisted her and Jeremy were basically a thing. But she knew about him and Vick, the younger sister of some high school jock Jeremy's sister had been going out with. She'd seen him a few times, family meals having been a big thing once with the Gilbert family, but since their parents died she'd given them some space, not feeling it was wise to go knocking on their door without knowing how they were all dealing with the loss, but more than likely they'd be back at school that day and maybe things would get back to normal for them too. It only seemed fair really.

Slamming open the door to her locker she gave a slight snort at the mess that lay waiting inside, a mess of papers from homework she'd never done or bothered to hand in the previous year. Reaching in she moved to clear it out, settling some books inside and smiling at the new clean look of her locker—now she just had to keep it up!

"Hey," the voice that muttered to her was one she'd been hoping to hear, quickly turning her arms flung around the much taller shoulders of her best friend Jeremy who returned it, a small smile at his lips. It wasn't real, Cole already knew that for a start, but it was good to see him out in the real world again.

"Ready for a new year?" she questioned, though automatically knew the answer.

Jeremy didn't reply, but swinging her bag onto her shoulder the two wandered through the school before arriving outside at the spot everyone knew as 'the stoner den', basically filled with the students that spent most of their time in that exact place. Already Jeremy was seated amongst them, and it was tempting to join in, to fall straight back into her bad habits even with her mind screaming at her not to, but then what else was she going to do? Go inside and hang by herself? It didn't sound overly tempting and with a sigh her fingers reaching into the cigarette packet that was held open to her, tugging the slim stick and lighting it up.

It was only one, she told herself.

Still, as the bell rang Cole went to her class, settling down in her seat, eyes trained on the board as math equations were piled onto them, just because it was the first day back didn't mean they were going easy on the students and she did her best to work through it, not allowing herself to be distracted by anything else around her. It didn't mean she did any better though, really she felt absolutely useless at this stuff, but with a few questions right and some homework handed out she gave a sigh of relief. Already she was feeling better about this day, and leaving the class she didn't shove the sheet into her locker to be forgotten, but placed it in her bag. To anyone else this was normal, but to Cole this was taking baby steps to getting back to normality.

"Jeremy?!"

That voice brought her to peer out from her locker, sure enough Elena was storming after her younger brother, dipping into the boys bathroom to which Cole shook her head, she meant well, but it made her glad that she was an only child, she didn't have to deal with things like that.

Slamming the locker shut she decided to avoid the sibling drama, walking past the bathroom door, though not without trying to listen in. The distraction was enough to cause her to walk straight into a hard chest, eyes quick to look up at the person she'd walked into and look at him puzzled. She'd never seen this guy before in school, in fact her minds wanderings caused her to miss his apology all together and simply left her stood there staring at him before snapping back to the real world.

"I uh…sorry…" Cole tugged her bag tightly into her, quickly making her way around him before speed walking away from him.

So maybe the friendship thing was going to take some more work?


	2. Chapter 2 - Animal Attacks

Chapter 2 – Animal Attacks

Since that first day of school things had seemed so relatively normal, classes were normal, friends were normal, nothing out of the ordinary and of course that was how it should be for any 'normal' person, there were rumours of animal attacks surfacing, but they all seemed to happen just out of town and Cole had never really thought to worry about something like that. Really her mind was trained on the big start of year party, near enough everyone was going to be there and of course her and Jeremy were looking forward to it, agreeing to get there together and she would help him avoid his sister at all costs. It was normal for them to get drunk at these things, underage or not, it was just what they did but to Elena it didn't seem to matter, she was like a second mother to Jeremy and that's what he hated. Cole did her best to understand of course, but in reality she didn't really, she didn't have siblings, and her foster parents weren't the clingy type, they tried to be cool with her, make allowances here and there and as long as she stayed safe they were happy.

"I don't get why she stays around him," Jeremy complained for perhaps the hundredth time. He was on about Vicky and Tyler, and of course being the best friend Cole had to sit and listen to his girl troubles even if she often wanted to roll her eyes and tell him he needed to get over it.

"Some people are confused Jer, you can force her onto you, just let her make her decision, right or wrong, and if she doesn't pick you in the end, maybe it's time to move on, find someone else." Cole wasn't good at the whole giving advice on girls thing either, but her words seemed good enough as Jeremy broke into a slight smile before taking the plastic cup from her hands.

"Refill?"

"You better make it a full one this time!" She called out after him shaking her head; she brought her knees up onto the wall with her, eyes dancing over the many people that were there before they fell on Elena. It was only a matter of time until she got there but still, this was where she had to go into hide the younger brother mode when she'd rather be enjoying herself. What surprised her though was the fact that the stranger from the boys bathroom was there with her, making her assume that this was her new boyfriend of something like that.

"Here…"

"Hey Jer, I didn't know Elena had a new boyfriend?" Cole said as he took his place beside her, instantly his eyes went over and he grumbled letting his eyes drift away upon seeing her advance towards us. "Damn…sorry…"

"Jerem-" Elena had started her attack already and it only made Cole feel incredibly awkward now sat there, rising up she patted Jeremy's shoulder.

"Come find me when it's over."

If there was one thing Cole wasn't going to do it was to sit there and listen to her best friend getting lectured, it was all too tempting to say something that she'd more than likely regret and she didn't quite want to get on the bad side of a member of her best friends family after all. So she was left to wander around on her own, something she was exactly happy about, even if she had told herself that she was going to make some friends and all that, it hadn't exactly happened, she was still loner kid no matter how hard she tried not to be.

"Excuse me, have you seen Elena?"

Turning to the voice it almost made her want to laugh that it was mister tall dark and mysterious again, someone she still couldn't really put a name to.

"She was talking to her brother…probably taken him off for a more private scolding." Cole reply was accompanied by a nod, weak smile before she went to turn away, only to end up stopping herself. "What's your name?"

"Stephan, Stephan Salvatore," he replied to her offering what she thought was quite an awkward smile.

"Well, now I can finally put a name to the face, I'm Cole, Jeremy's friend, and I'm guessing you're Elena's new boyfriend right? I'd watch out for Matt, pretty sure he'll leave you in a ditch if you give him the chance," she laughed with her words though then went to scratch the back of her head. "Okay that sounded more funny in my head."

It was surprising that Stephan didn't seem to mind her awkwardness; in fact he gave a small laugh with her. It was a shame for it all to be broken by a cry for help and all eyes were on three figures, Elena and Jeremy were carrying a body, and the body was definitely someone she knew. Within a few seconds everyone was surrounding them, Cole being pushed further and further away from the drama before she gave a sigh. Again the muttering started, the talk of an animal attack so close to town, it just made it all the more real when it was someone that you knew, someone that you saw everyday and as the ambulance and police started to arrive a hand came to her shoulder causing Cole to jump out of her skin.

"Whoa hey, you alright?"

Cole's eyes were now on a girl she recognised for hanging around with Elena and as she let out a heavy breath she nodded.

"You scared the crap out of me."

"Elena wanted me to come and get you, said that you and Jeremy had travelled together but he went off with Vick. Were all going to the grill so we can get asked questions, after that I can get you home."

Nodding to the girl she sighed shakily, eyes drifting back to the blood on the floor one final time before following her.

"I didn't think I ever got your na-"

"Bonny," she was quick to respond, though still offered me a smile as we walked with others and grabbed a table at the grill with some of her other friends. Conversation was offered to her, but really Cole just wanted to get home, she didn't really feel like she belonged with the group, they all knew one another, they were all gossiping and really she was just the odd one out.

Just a few more minutes. It was all she could keep muttering to herself, almost sure that no one could hear her, and when her and Bonny finally left she let out a small sigh of relief.

"You don't really do well at these social things huh?" Bonny questioned as the two got into her car, it cause Cole's cheeks to become dusted with a light pink colour.

"You noticed that huh?" she replied before giving another sigh. "Guess I'm used to my own company, only person I've ever really had by my side was Jeremy and he gives me space. It's almost like I'm never going to make any new friends."

Bonny couldn't help but laugh when she heard that, shaking her head a little turning to look at Cole.

"Give people a chance, like me, give me a chance, sure I'm Elena's friend too but I'm sure you can fit in."

Those words brought a smile to Cole's lips, a small nod from her before the car finally started up. Really it was a quiet journey, occasionally the music being turned up when a song they liked came on, accompanied by some singing along and a few laughs here and there. Perhaps to anyone else it wouldn't have been such a fun ride, but to Cole it was the best time she'd spent in a car recently and it seemed Bonny somehow understood that.

"Hey…thanks for this, and for taking me home, after that tonight I don't think I would have felt too safe walking."

Bonny gave a nod, though was quick to pull the younger girl into a tight and warm embrace only for Cole to be thrown out of it quickly.

"Bonny?"

Raising a brow Cole looked to the girl, confused by her actions, seeing what appeared to be a pained look on her face before it settled, Bonny giving a slow and steady breath, eyes closing as if trying to calm herself.

"Sorry…long night you know? I'll see you at school."

The smile now offered to Cole seemed weak, but she nodded, tugging her bag with her out of the car before she entered the house, but Bonny didn't leave just yet, her eyes simply remained on the door, staring at it for a while trying to work over what she had just felt running through her. This wasn't the first time it had happened, and it was slowly starting to bother her, perhaps it was time to take a little more interest in her Grams.

[[ A/N: A big thank you to those that have favourited and set alerts for this story, it's great to know that you're onboard with Cole's story and i'm really excited to see what you thing as her tale progress', as you can probably tell the relationship won't be cropping up for a while, I like a natural build up and so that's how it's going to be!

Also a thank you to my two reviewers Brooke and BeaAdriana, i'm glad you both liked the first chapter and I hope you like the second just as much! ]]


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